Carbonated water system



Feb. 27, 1968 J. M. QUERNER 3,370,755

CARBONATED WATER SYSTEM Filed July 15, 1966 o N I lg; n 51.-

WAT

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CO2 SUPPLY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,376,755 CARBONATED WATERSYSTEM Joseph M. Querner, Wethersfield, Comm, assignor to Dnnlaam-Bush,Inc, West Hartford, Conn. Filed .luly 13, 1966, Ser. No. 564,987 6Claims. (Cl. 222-146) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A system forcarbonating, cooling and dispensing water is disclosed wherein a pumpsupplies fresh water to the top of the storage tank through a spraynozzle, so that the fresh water is carbonated. The same pump alsorecirculates carbonated water past the dispensing faucets to and fromthe body of water in the storage tank at such time as no fresh water isbeing supplied to the system. Valves are provided to control the flow ofwater to the pump, and to direct the fresh water to the nozzle and thecarbonated water to the bottom of the tank.

This invention relates to dispensing carbonated water and carbonatedbeverages, and particularly to a system for producing and dispensingcold, carbonated water.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved system fordispensing carbonated water at the point of use in refrigeratedcondition. Another object is to provide a simplified system fordispensing carbonated beverages. A further object is to provide a simpleand inexpensive system of the above character, which is free of theundesirable and objectionable features nad characteristics of similarprior systems. A further object is to provide for the above withequipment which is versatile in its application, dependable in its use,and which will operate efficiently with minimum attention and service.These and other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outbelow.

Systems have been provided for dispensing carbonated beverages inrefrigerated condition at the point of use and in such a manner as toinsure satisfactory carbonation. One such system is shown in UnitedStates Patent No. 1,663,683, where the refrigerated and carbonatedbeverage is circulated to and from the dispensing faucets. Thecontinuous circulation of the carbonated beverage maintains the desiredlow temperature in the supply lines. Other such systems have beenprovided over the years, in which tap water is carbonated andrefrigerated, and is then circulated in a continuous stream past two ormore faucets in series, utilizing more recent types of carbonating andrefrigeration equipment. However, many such systems are quitecomplicated, and some involve continuous carbonation of the water andsome have more than one pump to provide the desired circulation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved andsimplified systems which accomplish the desired functions of the priorsystems, but which utilize the most modern components. It is a furtherobject to avoid the difiiculties which have been encountered with thesimilar systems which have been available in the past.

In the drawing, the single figure is a somewhat schematic representationof one embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, a carbonated water system 2 has a carbonatedwater supply and circulation line 4 which passes in series a number offaucets 6. Supply line 4 extends from a carbonator and storage unit 8having a storage tank 12 which is cast within a cylindrical block ofaluminum. Line 4 extends from the bottom of tank 12 and, during normaloperation, the level of carbonated water in the tank is maintainedbetween the lower level 14 and the upper level 16. As will be explainedmore fully below, this water level is maintained by a control unithaving an electric probe unit 18 mounted in the top wall ice 20 of thetank. Fresh water from a city water supply or the like is supplied tothe system through a supply line 22, having a series pair of checkvalves 24 therein which permit the water to flow from the supply to thesystem, but which prevent the reverse flow.

Fresh water is drawn into the system by a pump 26 which is driven by anelectric motor (not shown), and which delivers the water under pressurethrough a line 28 to water cooling coil 30 embedded within the aluminumcasting. Also embedded within the casting is an evaporator coil 32 of arefrigeration system which cools the incoming water and also maintains alow temperature for the water within tank 12. The cooled fresh waterfrom cooling coil 30 flows through a line 34, a three-way valve 36 and aline 38 to a nozzle 40, through which the water is sprayed into the topof the tank. A supply of CO under regulated pressure is provided througha line 42 which extends into the top of the tank. Hence, there is a bodyof CO above the water level within the tank, and the water which issprayed from nozzle 40 absorbs the CO and becomes carbonated. Animportant additional feature is that the carbon dioxide maintains thecarbonated water under sufficient pressure to cause it to flow from anyone of the faucets 6 when the faucet is open.

The components of carbonated water in system 2 are enclosed by heatinsulating material. Hence, when carbonated water is being drawn at afairly rapid rate from faucets 6, line 4 and the faucets are adequatelycooled by the cold water fiow. Also, pump 26 has sufficient capacity tomaintain the desired level of the carbonated water in tank 12, and theCO provides sufficient pressure to cause the water to flow to thefaucets. At reduced rates of withdrawal of water from the faucets, thesystem also provides adequate cooling for line 4 so that there is alwaysa proper supply of the carbonated water at each of the faucets. Thiscooling of line 4 is accomplished by causing pump 26 to circulatecarbonated water through line 4 during the time that the pump is notbeing used to deliver water to the system from line 22. Accordingly,there is an extension on line 4 which leads to the inlet side of pump 26and which has a valve 44 therein. In this embodiment valve 44 is closedwhen its solenoid is energized, and it opens when its solenoid isde-energized. Hence, when water is being delivered to the system, thesolenoid of valve 44 is energized and the valve is closed, so that line4 is a dead end supply line, as discussed above. However, when thesolenoid is de-energized so that valve 44 is open, the pressure of thecarbon dioxide in tank 12 produces a pressure in the carbonated water atthe inlet side of the pump which is greater than the pressure of thewater in the fresh water supply line 22. Therefore, the flow of waterfrom line 22 is blocked by the carbonated water, and pump 26 withdrawsonly the carbonated water from line 4, thus causing circulation of thecarbonated water throughout line 4.

The switch in the supply of water to pump 26 from the fresh water tocarbonated water makes it desirable to return the recirculated water totank 10 without passing it through spray nozzle 40. Accordingly, thethree-way valve 36 is turned so that the carbonated water which flows toit from line 34 is diverted downwardly through a line 46 to the bottomof tank 12. Hence, the carbonated water is returned to the body ofcarbonated water in the tank, and during this mode of operation, it ismerely circulated to and from tank 12 and maintains line 4 at thedesired temperature.

In this embodiment, valves 44 and 36 are controlled by a control unit 48which, in turn, is controlled by the electric probe unit 18. Controlunit 48 acts to deenergize the valve solenoid so as to open valve 44when the level of the carbonated water in tank 12 rises to the upperlevel 16, and it energizes the solenoid and recloses valve valve 44 isopen, there is no fresh water being supplied to tank 12, and the waterlevel drops relatively rapidly if the water is being withdrawn from thefaucet. However, the capacity of pump 26 is so chosen that it adds waterto the tank at only a slightly greater rate than water flows from thetank during maximum usage of the faucets. In practice, carbonated wateris not withdrawn from any one faucet in a continuous stream, and thesystem need not be of sufficient size to provide continuous streams ofcarbonated water from all of the faucets. Hence, the system may operatefor very substantial periods of time with a general balance between thewithdrawal of carbonated water from the tank and the continuous supplyof freshly carbonated water to the tank by the pump. Under suchcircumstances, the system continues to operate without the water levelreaching the upper levels 16, and the water being dispensed through thefaucets maintains line 4 in refrigerated condition. In this connection,it should be noted that the constant pressure in the supply of carbondioxide insures that the carbonated water is maintained at the desiredpressure at all of the faucets 6.

The carbonated water lines are of plastic, while, in an acceptablecommercial version of this system, the tank '12 is provided with astainless steel liner (not shown),

and, the operating parts of pump 26, and valves 36 and 44 are ofstainless steel which is not adversely aifected by the carbonated water.Probe 18 and control unit 48 are standard controls which provide thefunctioning described above. Evaporator 32 is a component of arefrigeration system, illustratively represented by a compressor 50, acondenser 52, a capillary tube expansion device 56, interconnectinglines and standard controls. Pump 26 is driven by an electric motorwhich isturned When the system is placed into operation.

When the system has been turned off and then is started up, pump 26 isoperated to circulate the carbonated water through line 4 for asufiicient time to cool the line. Carbonated water which is returned insome what warmed, and it is recooled when it is returned to tank 12 bythe action of the refrigeration system. When carbonated water is warm,it tends to lose its carbon dioxide if sprayed through a nozzle or if itis subject to another sudden decrease in pressure. However, with thepresent system, the carbonated water is maintained under substantialpressure, and it is returned in a solid stream to the body of carbonatedwater at the bottom of tank 12, without being subjected to a reductionin pressure. Thus, it is cooled again while maintaining its carbonation.

In this embodiment, valve 36 is operated after a predetermined timedelay following the operation of valve 44. That is, after the supply ofwater to pump 26 is changed from fresh water from line 22 to carbonatedwater from line 4, valve 36 continues to direct the Water through line38 to nozzle 40 until the fresh water in line 28 and the cooling coil 30has flowed through valve 36. Hence, all of the fresh water is sprayedthrough the nozzle so as to carbonate it. Also, when valve 44 has beenopen and then is closed, there is a similar time delay before valve 36diverts the water from line 46 back to line 38. Hence, the carbonatedwater in line 28 and coil 36 is delivered through line 46 to the bottomof the tank, rather than through line 38 to nozzle 40.

It should be noted that he flow of carbonated water fromttank 12 to thefaucets is caused by the controlled pressure of the carbon dioxide gas,independently of the operation of pump 26. The pump functions to deliverfresh water through the carbonating unit to the tank, and the dischargepressure of the pump is greater than the pressure of the carbon dioxidewithin the tank. In the illustrative embodiment, the single pump 26 alsocirculates the carbonated water through line 4 to provide the necessarycooling. However, this circulation is intermittent, and there may besubstantial periods of time 4 when no such circulation takes place. Theinvention contemplates that separate pumps can be used to deliver freshwater to the tank and to circulate water through the distribution line.Under such circumstances, the circulation of the carbonated water tocool the distribution line may be under the control of a thermostat.

What is claimed is:

1. A system for supplying carbonated water in refrigerated condition atthe point of use which comprises, a carbonating and'cooling unit whichcomprises a storage tank for a body of carbonated water with acarbonating section which is adapted to be occupied by an atmosphere ofcarbon dioxide gas and refrigeration means to cool the tank and thewater, faucet means, a distribution line extending from adjacent thebottom of said tank to said faucet means, means to provide for the flowof carbon dioxide to said carbonating section at a controlled pressurewhich is such as to cause the carbonated water to fiow from said tank tosaid faucet means, spray means Within said carbonating section which isadapted to spray fresh water into the carbon dioxide atmosphere therebyto produce carbonated Water, means constituting a supply of fresh water,pump means, means connecting an inlet side of said pump means to saidmeans constituting a supply of fresh water and a discharge side of saidpump means to said spray means whereby fresh water is delivered to saidcarbonating section and is thereby carbonated, a carbonated water returnline extending into said tank and having a water discharge opening belowthe level of water in said tank, said distribution line having a remoteend which provides a flow path beyond said faucet means from said tank,a normally closed first valve means connected at one side to normallyclose said remote end of said distribution line and connected at itsother side to said inlet side of said pump whereby the opening of saidfirst valve means connects said pump to receive carbonated water fromsaid remote end of said distribution line, and second valve meansoperative to disconnect said discharge side of said pump means from saidspray means and to connect it to said carbonated water return line.

2. A system as described in claim 1 which includes, control means whichoperates said first and second valve means automatically wherebysubstantially all fresh water is delivered to said spray means andsubstantially all carbonated water is delivered through said returnline'to the body of carbonated water within said tank.

3. A system as described in claim 2 wherein said control means includes,a water level control unit which opens said first valve means andoperates'said second valve means in response to a rise in the level ofcarbonated water in said tank to a predetermined level and which closessaid first valve with a corresponding operation of said second valveupon a predetermined drop in said level.

4. A system as described in claim 1 wherein said faucet means comprisesa plurality of faucets positioned in series and wherein saidrefrigeration means includes an evaporator enclosed within an aluminumcasting positioned around the sides of said tank.

5. A system as described in claim 1 which includes, a water-cooling coilconnected in series between said pump means and said second valve meansto cool the water discharged by such pump means.

6. A system as described in claim 1 wherein said pump means comprises asingle pump which is operated contiuuously.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,259,273 7/1966 Krorner 222-318X 12/1964 Kromer 222-3l8 X 7

